The '90s

1991 America’s nuclear power plants set a record for amount of electricity generated, surpassing the 1956 level for all fuel sources combined.

1992 Nuclear power plants account for about 20 percent of all electricity used in the United States.

August 1992 The fourth and final standardized nuclear power plant design is submitted to the NRC for certification and approval. Getting the plant designs approved by the NRC is a step toward building uniform nuclear power plants in the United States.

Oct. 24, 1992 President George H. W. Bush signs into law the Energy Policy Act, which sets the United States on course for planning its energy needs and reforms the licensing process for advanced, standardized nuclear power plants. The updated process affords the public more timely opportunities to participate in decisions to build new nuclear plants and is expected to create a more stable financial environment for investors.

March 1993 Sixteen nuclear utilities sign the first of two contracts with U.S. nuclear plant manufacturers—each agreeing to develop first-of-a-kind engineering on two advanced plant designs. General Electric signs in March and Westinghouse signs in June.

April 6, 1993 Another nuclear power plant—Comanche Peak 2 in Glen Rose, Texas—goes on line, providing 1,150 MWe to U.S. consumers.

December 1993 Two decades after the first oil embargo, the 109 nuclear power plants operating in the United States generate 610 billion kilowatt-hours of net electricity, providing about one-fifth of the nation’s electricity.

July 1994 The NRC issues final design approval for the first two of four advanced nuclear power plant designs—General Electric’s Advanced Boiling Water Reactor and ABB Combustion Engineering’s System 80+. The approval means that all major design and safety issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of the NRC staff and the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. The two plants are the first to obtain final design approval under the NRC’s new regulations for licensing standardized plant designs.

Feb. 9, 1996 The NRC grants the Tennessee Valley Authority a full-power license for its Watts Bar 1 nuclear power plant, bringing the number of operating nuclear units in the United States to 110.

Sept. 30, 1996 The first-of-a-kind engineering design is completed for the GE Advanced Boiling Water Reactor.

Nov. 7, 1996 Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6, the world’s first Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, begins commercial service in Japan—ahead of schedule and under budget.

May 12, 1997 The NRC issues design certification for the GE Advanced Boiling Water Reactor. It is valid for the next 15 years.

May 20, 1997 The NRC issues design certification for the ABB Combustion Engineering System 80+. It is valid for the next 15 years.

Jan. 12, 1998 President Bill Clinton certifies that China supports international nuclear nonproliferation efforts, paving the way for the sale of U.S. nuclear technology to China.

April 10, 1998 Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. submits an application to the NRC to renew the license of its two-unit Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant—the first U.S. company to apply for a 20-year extension of its 40-year license.

July 13, 1999 Entergy Nuclear closes on its purchase of the Pilgrim Station from Boston Edison Co., the first completed nuclear plant sale in the nation.